The Washington critic., 1887-06-24
WASHINGTON, JUNE "a, 1887.
WHAT is THOUGHT OF THE CIVIL
SERVICE LAW.


ular with the popuacc of Washington.
They regard any attempt to base the
tenure Of office on merit instead Of fayori'ism
and influence as at once hypocrisy and pcrse-
n-hypoCrtsy because thuy cannot CON
ceive Of anybody roglly wanting to get good
servants for the Government, and persecution
bacause 1t threatens their own Interests
New York Times.
Our esteemed contemporary Is Ger.
tainly not just, and we regret to say
can scarcely be sincere, In slur like
This upon the "populace" Of Washing
ton, assuming the term populace, as
here used, to mean the intelligent and
reputable citizens of the National Cap
i;al.
There are differences of opinion
among them, OF course. not as 10 the
wisdom and importance of all possible
reform in the civii service, but rs to
The adaptabiity Of the existing civil
service reform regulations to promote
an end so much to be desired.
There are persons in and out of the
Departments with whom the civil
service examinations are not "popu.
lar" 1t is true that people are some
times found to condemn the examina.
tions, who know nothing about them,
or who base their opinions on misin-
formation as TO what the nature of the
examinations really is, or who are
actuated by mere feeling of prejudice
against the innovation on old usages.
On the other hand, there are many
people In Washington with whom the
civil service examinations are not pop
nlar, because they honestly and intelli-
gently disbelieve in them as a method
of determining fitness for duties re.
quiring no special expert knowledge
They hold that probationary service,
without any previous catechetlcal in
QUESTION, is test enough to ascertain
persons qualifications for the great
bulk of clerical work required by the
Government, and that the machinery of
the civil service law tends rather to
complicate than to simplify the public
business.
If there Is single citizen OF Wash
ington OF decent standing in the com.
muniiy who regards ANY attempt to
base the tenure Of Office ON merit, In.
stead of favoritism and influence, as at
once hypocrisy and persecution" we
have never heard g him, or met any
body who hud heard of him. Tue
Times is msled in this matter.
We do not think that Democrats
generally are enamOre1 of the civil
service law, because they hold that no
law which tends to weaken the unl.
ninity Of supper; TO which an Admins
iration in power Is fairly entitled from
Its party friends can be wholly right
or just; and becnuae they further hold
that the Government can get as good
aud efficient service by he exercise of
Its own Independent Judgment In the
management of i's affairs AS It can
through the ptesenl system OF statutory
intervention.
For all this, however, the law is the
law, and the "populace" Of Washing.
ton are quite as law abiding as the
pppuluSt VI any OlNtr pluCe.
MR.. JEFFERSON DAVIS holds that
the rebel flags, not being taken by the
regular army, are not the property Of
the General Government but belong by
right to the several States whose vol
unteer soldiers captured them. This
Is fair and reasonable view of the
matter and Congress will probably
legislate accordingly. The present law,
which was passed in 1914, applied par
ticularly to Great Britain. At that
time It was never dreamed OF that
States of the Union would become
"enemies Of the United States" to be
treated as subjects of conquest.
IL THE full.length portrait of the late
Craig Tolliver, which appears in the
Poet this morning, bears any resem-
blance TO that distinguished Kentuck-
ian, we can now understand why the
authorities were so long getting rid of
him. They always aimed too high.
MAYOR HEwITrs hostility to the
canine creation continues unabated and
iiupl acgble, and he will recommend the
Iassage Of an ordinance prohibiting
the keeping of the animal inside the
city limits of New York. Dyspepsia
md dogs are utterly incompatible.
The President, in contributing O
check for twenty five dollars to be sho,
for Mt Creedmnor, extends coul tesy
which will doubtless be warmly appre,
ciated by the contestants aud elicit
their best Workmanship.
IT rs TIME that some radical reform
were adopted Ia the system Of National
Bank examinations The champagne
lunch. for Instance, ls one Of the feat,
ucs that ought TO be permanently
eliminated.
sENAToR Dos CAMERON informs q
New YORK Gr0ghie reporter that che
has no ambition to be President just
yet" Mr.. Cameron allows no bees to
nest In his bonnet.
TAMsiANY HALL is making more than
It's usual preparations this year for eel
ebrating the Fourth Of July. 1t will
be the society's ninety.ninth observance
of the great national anniversary.
DIR. McGIYNN continues to denounce
the Catholic Church us the "Romish
Machine" and says the Pope has sur
rounded himself with IAN army of
lackeys and Aunkies, whose "barbarlc